N00355:33
A sermon occasioned by the execution of a man found guilty of murder preached…
A sermon occasioned by the execution of a man found guilty of murder preached at Boston in N.E. March 11th 1685[/]6. : (Together with the confession, last expressions & solemn warning of that murderer to all persons; especially to young men, to beware of those sins which brought him to his miserable end.) / By Increase Mather, teacher of church of Christ.
Boston: printed by R.P. i.e, 1687
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Reas. 1. That so the Land where the murder is ⟨p. 12⟩[…] be p••ged from the guilt of Blood▪ […] Murder is such a sin as does pollute the very […] where it is done; not only the person that has shed blood is polluted thereby, but the whose Land lies under Pollution until such time as Justice is done upon the Murderer. Thus in the 33. v. of this Chapter, this is given as the Reason why no Satisfaction might be taken for the life of a Murderer; so shall ye not pollute the land wherein you are […] for blood it de••leth the land, and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. One Murder unpunished, may bring guilt & a curse upon the whole Land▪ that all the Inhabitants of the Land shall suffer for it; So that Mercy to a Murderer is Cruelty to a People. Therefore it is said concerning the Murderer, Thine eye shall •ot pity him but thou shal• put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee. If the Murderer be not punished it may go ill with the Whole, all may •a•e the worse for it; if the sin be not duly punished, there is a partaking in the guilt of it.
Reas. 1. That so the Land where the murder is ⟨p. 12⟩〈…〉 be p••ged from the guilt of Blood▪ 〈…〉 Murder is such a sin as does pollute the very 〈…〉 where it is done; not only the person that has shed blood is polluted thereby, but the whose Land lies under Pollution until such time as Justice is done upon the Murderer. Thus in the 33. v. of this Chapter, this is given as the Reason why no Satisfaction might be taken for the life of a Murderer; so shall ye not pollute the land wherein you are for blood it deleth the land, and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. One Murder unpunished, may bring guilt & a curse upon the whole Land that all the Inhabitants of the Land shall suffer for it; So that Mercy to a Murderer is Cruelty to a People. Therefore it is said concerning the Murderer, Thine eye shall ot pity him but thou shal put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee. If the Murderer be not punished it may go ill with the Whole, all may ae the worse for it; if the sin be not duly punished, there is a partaking in the guilt of it.